Kate shook her head. ‘Okay but this all needs to be anonymous; if it comes back to you or Sam, the divorces could get messier. You’ll need to search James’s office and computer at your house – can you get in without him knowing?’
I nodded. ‘I think so.’
‘What if Haiden and Haiden bury the evidence themselves?’ Sam said. He had a point but I knew them.
‘They’re as straight as arrows. They’ll be devastated to find out James has done this and they’ll want to put it right.’
‘So we have a plan?’ Megan smiled. We all looked at one another and nodded.
‘Yes,’ we agreed in harmony.
‘Great, I’ll open some wine and I’ll make you a hot chocolate.’ She directed the last comment at me.
‘So, Charlotte, have you thought any more about your primary teacher?’ Megan asked, bringing the drinks over.
I let out a deep breath. ‘As a matter of fact, I have. I checked my messages to see if he’d been in touch.’ I sipped my hot chocolate. Megan was becoming a dab hand at making them, and I wasn’t complaining. ‘He’s gone. I think I’ve put him off online dating, maybe even dating as a whole, but either way, he’s gone.’ Leaving a heaviness in my chest.
‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Megan said sympathetically. ‘You’ll meet someone.’
I knew she meant well but I wasn’t looking. I was going to be a mummy and that was enough. Andrew was just different – to James, at least. He wasn’t polished to fine perfection; he was rough around the edges. He didn’t wear an expensive suit or have his hair cut fortnightly (or at all by the looks of it), and most importantly, he didn’t take life too seriously. He seemed sensitive and generous, probably through working with children, and I just felt as though we’d not had a chance to get to know one another. It was my fault, though, and if I hadn’t have meddled in the first place I wouldn’t have met him and I wouldn’t have an aching hole in the pit of my stomach. I smiled to acknowledge Megan’s comment.
‘But you’re not interested in anyone else are you?’ she asked. Evidently, my smile presented itself in a less-than-convincing way. I shook my head.
‘Well fight for him. Find this guy!’ she said. ‘You must know where he works, or what about his number? There must be something.’
‘Well, he works in a school so I can’t go stalking around there, and besides that, I don’t know which one. He goes to the same gym as Samantha – I saw him there when Sam and I went to check up on her – but I’d look crazy turning up there and I did have his number but I deleted it. Using it would have been yet another betrayal. He’d made his feelings quite clear.’
‘I could go to the gym,’ Megan suggested.
‘Thanks, but no – I’m not that pushy, interfering woman any more.’
Megan looked over at Kate for assistance. ‘Don’t look at me, I’m on revenge duty – you can do matchmaking.’ She held up her hands, emphasising her protest.
‘Thanks, but let’s leave matchmaking for now. I need to focus on being a parent and besides that, who’d want to date a pregnant whale like me?’ Kate wrinkled her nose in a less-than-encouraging gesture of agreement.
I decided I might as well tell them all about my plans to buy a house. ‘How about we focus on something a bit more positive?’
The three of them looked at me, intrigued.
‘I’m in the process of buying a house.’ I grinned. ‘It’s a small but pretty cottage in Wilmslow that looks perfect. The solicitors have everything in hand and hopefully, I’ll be moving in six weeks from now. Pretty soon I’ll have a house and a baby and no designer stuff. A completely new life.’ I plastered a smile on my face. ‘Who needs men anyway?’ Putting Andrew behind me had to be part of my new plan.
‘That’s fantastic news!’ Megan said, coming over to hug me. ‘And you’re right, you’ll have everything you need – you don’t need a man to be happy.’
Sam smirked. ‘Does it have a garden? Because there’s a man right here that you might need.’
I smiled. ‘Sorry, Sam, there’s not much of a garden but I might need a hand potting some floral plants around the yard.’
‘Hmm, I suppose you’ll want special rates and everything now.’
‘I think I might – Kate’s about to wring me out.’ I laughed. ‘Shall I show you the brochure?’
There was a chorus of yeses so I went upstairs to dig it out. ‘Ta-dah!’ I said, plonking it in the centre of the dining table.
‘Ahh, it’s lovely,’ Megan cooed. ‘I can just see it come Christmas time, with a wreath on the door and fairy lights in the windows. It’s so cosy. I love it!’
‘It’s lovely, Charlotte, a perfect place for you and the baby,’ Sam said.
‘It’s the size of a really shit wine fridge!’ Kate observed.
I smiled. ‘Your wine fridge, perhaps! I know it’s small.’ I glared at Kate. ‘But it’s all I need. All we need.’
***
Andrew had mentioned that he sometimes went to Didsbury Park after school to get some fresh air, and since I’d not been suffering from morning sickness quite as much, I thought walking might do me some good. I convinced myself I was going for the fresh air and not for a chance meeting and put on some gym wear of Megan’s since mine was still at home: long black leggings, a multi-coloured gym vest, and a black hoodie. I stuffed my phone in my pocket before shouting to Megan that I was going out. Nobody replied; I assumed she’d gone to Sam’s. It was safe to say, things were progressing, despite my advice.
The park was quiet so I put my headphones in and started walking at a brisk pace. I might as well keep my legs toned if nothing else. I kept my eyes peeled
